THREE teenagers were rescued by police as they diced with death riding their BMX bikes - down the region's  busiest road.

Daredevil friends, Frankie Atkinson, Callum Buckton and Callum Waggett, all 13, decided to have an adventure travelling from their homes in Redcar to 360 indoor skate park in Richmond, North Yorkshire, to try out their bikes.

They bought what they thought were combined train and bus tickets believing they could take their bikes aboard both - but at Darlington they were told they couldn’t take their BMX’s on the bus.

Refusing to put the brakes on Saturday's day out, they got on their bikes and using one of their phones for directions headed off - pedalling down the dual carruageway of the A1.

“At first it was not so bad, but then when we got onto the second bit of road it was scary,” said Callum Buckton.

“There were a few drivers pipping at us and then this police car arrived. He had a little go at us because obviously we shouldn’t have been there, we thought we were going to be in real trouble, then he said they would give us a lift and he was really nice.

"A van arrived and the bikes went in there and we got into the police car.”

Lia Peters of 360 Skate Park said:”It was great community policing, when they arrived with the lads in the back of the police car we thought there’d been some big problem, but they were doing an excellent job of keeping our kids safe.

“The boys hadn’t realized I don’t think how far it was, and they thought they could get the bus. It all worked out well in the end thanks to the police, but it could have been totally different, it’s definitely not the road to be riding a BMX bike on.”

The skate park was so impressed by their dedication they organized a lift home to make sure they didn’t have to tackle the A1 again.

Inspector Mark Gee, of the Richmond Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “When the three lads were spotted riding BMX bikes on the A1 it was clear that they were putting themselves at risk.

"Therefore the officer involved rightly stepped in and helped the teenagers - and their bikes - to safely reach their destination in Richmond. The lads were really grateful for the assistance they received.“